It took the second generation of the Marcos leadership to fulfill its vow to provide land to landless farmers in Central Visayas, with one of them already 101 years old and have waited 40 years for his land to call his own.
In his speech during the Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOA) and land title distribution in Dumaguete City on Monday, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. described the “labor of love” his late father and namesake started with former Agrarian Reform Secretary Conrado F. Estrella Sr. in giving land to landless farmers.
President Marcos noted that most of the farmers in Central Visayas have waited long enough for a land to till on their own. One of them is Simeo A. Acadmia, 102 years old, of Panalaan, Bais City, Negros Oriental. He waited for 42 years for the CLOA.
“Alam niyo po kung bakit sinasabi kong labor of love yan?” the President asked the crowd gathered during the land distribution event. “Nagsimula ito noong panahon [na ang] Pangulo (the late president Ferdinand E. Marcos Sr.) ay ang aking ama. Nagsimula ito noong ang lolo ni Secretary Conrad Estrella (III) ay (the late) Secretary Conrado F. Estrella Sr. ng DAR. Sila ang nagsimula nitong lahat,” the President said.
When he appointed the younger Estrella to follow the footsteps of his grandfather, President Marcos said he realized the still unfulfilled promise of his father and the former DAR Secretary to provide land for the farmers.
“Kaya’t noong kami ay umupo, bilang Secretary, bilang Pangulo ay nagtataka kami, tatlumpung taon na nag-aantay ang mga tao, umabot na nga 101 years ang ating pinakamasigasig, pinamalakas na magsasaka na hanggang ngayon nag-aanatay pa,” President Marcos remarked.
“Kako naman, mumultuhin tayo ng lolo mo (Estrella) at saka ng tatay ko (Marcos Sr.) pagka hindi natin ginawa ito,” he said.
President Marcos said he started to set in motion the distribution of the lands by putting a second generation of Marcos to fulfill that promise.
“Dahil ito ay isa sa una na ginawa, isa sa una na instruction na binigay, ito ang isa sa una na ginawa ng administrasyon, ‘yung unang administrasyong Marcos, kaya’t siguro naman, ay sabi ko karapatdapat lang ito ay dapat tapusin sa pangalawang administrasyon na Marcos,” the President remarked eliciting a loud applause from the crowd.
President Marcos distributed 3,855 Certificates of Land Ownership Awards (CLOAS) and land titles as part of the administration’s commitment to distribute land titles to all beneficiaries from different provinces in Region 7.
In his speech in Dumaguete City which was simultaneously shown in Cebu and Bohol, the President said the CLOAs and land titles cover 2,867 hectares of land in Region 7.
“Alam naman po namin na marami po sa inyo ay matagal nang nangangarap at nagsisikap upang magkaroon ng sariling lupa para sa inyong hanapbuhay. Eto na po at tinutupad po natin ang pangarap ninyo,” President Marcos stared.
“Nawa’y maging inspirasyon ang mga titulo at tulong na ito upang lalo pa ninyong pag-ibayuhin ang inyong pagsisikap para sa sarili, para sa inyong mga pamilya, at kasama na rin para sa ating bansa,” President Marcos told the ARBs.
“Kayo ang pundasyon ng mahigit na isang daang milyong Pilipino,” he said.
President Marco’s said the government will provide land not only to farmers in Central Visayas but to all farmers in the country. PND
